The Letters of Father Christmas-JRR Tolkien

Sven-El

Sven-El

Well-known member
I decided I'd start a thread here for another book by Tolkien, that isn't LOTR or the Hobbit.

Any rate has any one here read hsi Father Christmas letters? It's a really neat collection of letters from "Father Christmas" that Tolkien wrote to his children. It's amazing to read as you can even see some of Tolkien's own imagination creeping in and transforming the legend of Father Christmas. Also it should be noted the years the letters were written is the time period of the Great Depression and WWII, so the resposnes to the Tolkien childrens questions occasionally address it.

Here's a question for any one who's read it. In one of the letters Father Chrstmas mentiosn wanting to give them all copies of the Hobbit, but had them in short supply and had a feeling they had plenty around the hosue any way, so he decided to give them another Oxford Fairy Tale. The date for the letter is Dec. 1937, so it can't be LOTR. Any possibly thoughts as to what "other Oxford Fairy tale" that the Tolkien children might have received?
 
fernshirehobbit said:
i love the Father Christmas stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they are so adorable!!!!!!!!!!! :D
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They are. I love the fact that Tolkien wrote them just for his children. And as I said above when you look at the dates on the letters ( the Great Depression and World War II) just imagine how those letters must have helped them through that time.

I admit, when I first read them I almost began to believe that there really was a Father Christmas. HE seemed so much more relaistic then the Santa/Father Christams we see in movies and on TV. ( save maybe in Narnia)

Of course, the North Polar Bear is just a riot. I love when he starts interjecting his own comments in the letters.
 
Sven-El said:
... Here's a question for any one who's read it. In one of the letters Father Chrstmas mentiosn wanting to give them all copies of the Hobbit, but had them in short supply and had a feeling they had plenty around the hosue any way, so he decided to give them another Oxford Fairy Tale. The date for the letter is Dec. 1937, so it can't be LOTR. Any possibly thoughts as to what "other Oxford Fairy tale" that the Tolkien children might have received?
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Any answers on this yet? :eek:
 
I love the Father Christmas Letters. The style of writing, very different from that used in LOTR, proves that Tokien was equally capable of writing for children or for adults. And the North Polar Bear is awesome. :D
 
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